#57 - Polyphasic Sleep

The Matt Walker Podcast

In this engaging podcast episode, Matt delves into the world of polyphasic sleep – the practice of dividing sleep into multiple short naps throughout the day. The episode starts by exploring the historical origins of polyphasic sleep, from the concept of phases within a 24-hour sleep cycle to the motivations behind adopting unconventional sleep patterns for increased productivity.

Matt explains various polyphasic sleep schedules, such as the Uberman, Everyman, and Triphasic schedules, which involve segmented sleep periods interspersed with short naps. While proponents claim benefits like enhanced sleep quality, improved brain function, and better health, Walker breaks down the scientific evidence to reveal a different reality. Multiple studies suggest that polyphasic sleep doesn't offer the promised benefits. Instead, it often leads to disrupted sleep stages, impaired cognitive function, mood decline, and adverse effects on health, including blood sugar and cardiovascular issues.

In conclusion, Matt emphasizes the importance of prioritizing traditional, consolidated sleep patterns and warns against the potential pitfalls of attempting to hack the sleep cycle. While individual experiences may vary, the weight of scientific evidence suggests that polyphasic sleep might be more of a sleep-hacking myth than a genuine solution for better health and productivity.

Please note that Matt is not a medical doctor, and none of the content in this podcast should be considered medical advice in any way, shape, or form, nor prescriptive in any way.

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Further reading if desired

Scientific of polyphasic sleep: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721821000309

As always, if you have thoughts or feedback you’d like to share, please reach out to Matt on Instagram.